12.11.2013

Christmas just slapped me!

As Thanksgiving here is so huge Christmas takes a back seat so it literally jumped out and slapped me on the first of December. Social media was crashing with pictures of Christmas Trees, Jumpers and nativity's. Here I went to bed with left over Halloween Candy in the shops and the next day BOOM Christmas threw up...everywhere. The weather got straight on board too and we are having "Unseasonable cold spell"...I really thought Uggs in the shops here were a joke but the past few days its been the same temperature as home and people are outraged they have had to turn off their ceiling fans! The lights are insane here, the neighbourhoods get together and put them all over the place its so magical to see palm trees lit up. Some of the decorations would only ever be found in America as you will see below not to mention I love how places wrap their pictures like presents to jazz the place up but its nice to start to feel festive.

We are returning to UK on Saturday and not sure if we will return for now, depending on the work situation so we have just been thoroughly enjoying our last few weeks....obviously this has meant eating so much American delicacy's I literally could explode and need to go on a diet as soon as I touch English soil but I've thoroughly enjoyed every minute. One of my favourite things we have done here and I wish we had known early was to go to the cinema 5mins from our flat, its like nothing at home it all leather arm chairs and tables and you get a menu and a buzzer then order what you want and its brought to your seat including alcohol...lush! We also took a trip out to Galveston which is the coastline about an hour outside of Houston. I must admit I assumed it would be some gorgeous white beach and I was thinking of my Dad the whole way as he loved Glen Campbell and the song "Galveston". However its part of the gulf so the beach is a revolting dishwater colour and with the pier, also picking a freezing day we literally could have been at Blackpool! Still blew out the cobwebs, relived childhood on the best Carousel I've ever seen and tipped my hat to you Dad.

They don't do the chocolate advent calendars here like home, Archie has been a bit outraged at that and that we haven't got a tree here, telling his teacher all about it...who is devastated that he is leaving and literally said we can leave him with her #OK So we got an Elf on the shelf to get things going until we are home, He has taken a shine to one of Chris's friends out here called Barry...maybe because he has been teaching him the drums on the i pad... anyway you can guess what the Elf is called...Barry the Elf. We are having an absolute hoot with it, Archie keeps giving him things to eat "from him, not Oscar" as if to score brownie points and Barry's been getting up to some adventures in the night! We are all looking forward to getting home and getting all our tat up.

We will without a doubt miss Houston, this has been some crazy adventure, I cant say we have loved every minute of it, its harder than I imagined to have no family and a routine but I have loved all it has given us and every experience. I have just started to do that thing where you drive home without a clue how you got there, just as its time to come home and I remember unpacking all our things but it feels like 4 years ago not just 4mths ago. I don't know how I will adjust to flushing my own toilet again, driving with an actual gear stick or not having "drive through" everything including ATMS but I'm sure my own bed, a proper Roast and going anywhere and them know what a cup of tea is will ease that; seriously I've started drinking Hot Chocolate because its easier than explaining and I hate Coffee. I haven't got time to miss Houston though because Christmas is according to several people on Facebook just 14 sleeps away and I know this will send shudders through you people (weirdos) who bought and wrapped your presents in October but I haven't done a thing. Seriously not a thing. I don't even know what Santa will get the kids...or the HUSBAND?! I haven't even thought about Christmas cards, a tree, decorating, food, wrapping etc and between you and I for all Barry the Elf has promised I cant see him being much help. So I'm off to pack some more and worry about hair pulling in Argos, midnight food shopping and running out of cello tape on Christmas Eve...that sort of thing!